My First Christmas!

Now that I have officially passed the 7 month mark, I am old enough to know that Christmas is a very fun holiday!  You get to open lots of presents, see your grandparents a lot on the computer, sing Christmas songs, build gingerbread houses and eat lots of yummy food.  Okay, so I can't open presents, sing, build houses and the food I eat are cereal and vegetables, but I'm still taking all of it in!  Miss Elaine at school was right when she predicted I would be crawling by Christmas.  In fact, I use my new crawling ability to get to furniture or people to climb on so I would say I have been climbing just as much as crawling.  I really enjoy the new toys I have to play with and Cora has been good about letting me look over some of the toys she got for Christmas.  I especially like the airport she got.  The excersaucer I got, or as Uncle Marcus calls it - the command center - is a good time.

Chipmunk cheeks!!

I am still doing a great job with eating, holding my bottle and not drooling too terribly much.  I have been cranky the past few days because my gums hurt a lot.  I'm sure my teeth are coming soon although there is still no sign of them peeking out yet.  My pointer finger still does a good job for sucking when I can't find anything else.  Other than that, nothing too big to report except that when I tumble on the floor and bump my head, it doesn't feel so nice!!

The new playroom!

Busy Bruiser Beaver

My big hair after a bath!

I play with Cora's stroller when she isn't looking!

I have officially started crawling!  On Friday afternoon (12/21/2012) when Daddy came home from work I took my first shaky glides across the floor.  That evening, when Mommy was getting Cora ready for bed, I crawled from my mat over to Daddy, who was laying on the couch, so that I could cuddle with him and take my pre-bedtime catnap.  I am so busy these days now that I can get around on my own!  I can play with whatever is laying out - which is sooo many toys these days.  Cora will get out 10 different things and forget about them - and that's when I make my move!
At the rate that I have been eating I am probably gaining about a pound per day!  I take my bottles in usually less than 10 minutes and I prefer to hold it myself.  I've started eating carrots and peas now.  The peas taste funny, but I guess I will get used to them.  Honestly, they aren't my favorite, but I am so hungry I just don't care.  My cheeks have really gotten chubby too!

Holding my own bottle!

Crawling

I think I can officially say that I can crawl.  It's more of a squiggly worm, but I am very capable of getting around to places I need to be - usually exploring new toys that Cora has gotten to play with but forgotten.  There is a piano that lights up that I like in particular, but Cora sometimes has a hard time letting me use it on my own.  
I have also started using a high chair.  A few weeks ago, Mommy tried putting me in it to feed me my rice cereal, but I couldn't sit up in it.  Now, I am a champ.  In addition to gobbling down my food with practically no mess, I can sit up in the chair and look around as I eat.  I also like to bang on the tray.  I could get used to it.  My favorite vegetable so far is sweet potatoes, and carrots aren't so bad.  Anything is better than the squash. 
Last week was a busy week.  I had to go to the doctor because Mommy and Daddy were worried about my cough.  The doctor told me I had an ear infection in BOTH my ears!  I have to take medicine now, but it doesn't taste that bad so it doesn't bother me.  The more important event from last week was my visit to Santa.  I was not afraid at all because Cora was with me, however when we got up to see Santa and sit on his lap, she started crying.  I don't understand.  I liked his red suit and he made a very comfy chair!  Even though I can't talk yet, I am hoping Santa gets me an exersaucer like the one I have at school.  Mommy and Daddy tell me that I won't be at school much longer because Mommy is going to be home with me from now on....that will be fun!!! I am looking forward to Christmas when all of the family is home together!!

Hanging my first ornament with Mommy!

Posing with my First Christmas ornament!

Weekend Whirlwind

My first Christmas tree outing - a success! In a new car too!!

We had such a busy weekend I am almost too exhausted to write!  Thank goodness, I caught a catnap with Daddy on the couch after dinner, so I wasn't too cranky going to bed.  I really like cuddling with Daddy - on weekends when Daddy is out doing things, I miss him and I cry a lot.  When he is around, I am always looking at him.  He did a really good job hanging lights on the house and putting up the Christmas tree this weekend!  We went to pick out a tree and I watched Daddy put it up while the girls were out shopping.  I love having new things in the house to look at.  If I'm not looking at things, I'm constantly grabbing for something to put into my mouth or play with in my hands.  I enjoy when Cora wants to play with me, either letting me play with her blocks or help her with her train tracks. She isn't always up to it, but sometimes she will share her toys with me.

Squash is gross!

I also tried my first vegetable this week too...I did not like it.  Mommy is going to try a different vegetable, but for now I can say I DO NOT like squash.  And putting rice cereal in it does not help the taste.  Hopefully the next one will taste better.  

Crawling is around the Corner!

The past couple of weeks have been very tiring for me - I have been rolling, squirming, and trying to crawl.  I can now get on all fours, I just need to coordinate my hands and feet and figure out how to move forward.  One night, I rolled across the family room and ended up chewing on the table!  Speaking of chewing, no teeth yet for me.
I have also become very good at grabbing my toys.  Anything you put in front of me, I will grab and take.  Sometime I have a hard time letting it go too!  One of my toys plays music if you push a button and I am very good at pushing the button for the music.
Yesterday I had my 6 month well visit at the doctor!  I am growing right on pace and I'm up to 15 1/2 lbs!  The doctor says I'm ready to start eating vegetables!  Yum!!! I can't wait!  I had to get lots of shots too, but Daddy said that I was a real man because I only cried for about 15 seconds after the shots, then I was done.  The shots didn't bother me one bit.  What bothered me most was the icky medicine they gave me in my mouth.  It made me throw up later that evening.  But after that I felt much better.
I'm sporting a really cool hair-do right now.  The front of my hair is long and wavy, while the back is short and fuzzy.  It's a cute look for me right now, although I don't want my hair like that forever.  I do what I can right now to look as cute as possible, although it's not that hard.
Cora is a very entertaining big sister!  I love when she tries to play with me and isn't too rough.  She loves me a lot and is always helpful getting me my burp cloths or taking my bottles to the counter.

Growing Too Fast!

This weekend Mommy and Daddy noticed that I'm really getting big!  Mommy said I was heavy when she picked me up out of my crib this morning.  I love growing - that means I can do more things - I'm so close to sitting up on my own I think it will be any day now!  I have a really interesting hair-do these days too.  My hair is really full on the top, but because I like to roll around so much (especially in my crib at school) I have fuzzy hair on the back of my head.  Mommy loves touching my fuzzy head!
I had a lot of fun with Cora this weekend too.  She is a great big sister.  I like to hold her hand and I really enjoy when she talks to me.  Every time I smile at her she smiles back and says, "Adam smiled!" She is setting a bad example though when she screams.  Now, when I hold stuffed animals or rattles I scream at them.  I just get way too excited!  I've heard talk that Mimi and Papa are coming next week!  That's exciting too!!!

I've started sleeping with my doopa in the air!

Moving and Shaking

I have been getting the hang of grabbing things and putting things in my mouth recently.  I love practicing with my cowgirl, but if I am playing in my gym, I don't mind playing with the elephant or the lion.  Kicking the animals with my feet is really fun too - think I've been picking up some dance moves from watching Cora!  Mommy and Daddy are ready for me to sit up and to practice they have started sitting me in that stupid pink chair again!  It's not all that bad, but I think I look silly in it!  I have been waking up during the past few nights; Mommy and Daddy are still blaming it on my teeth.  I don't feel any in my mouth right now - I just get really hungry at night and can't wait until the morning when Daddy feeds me!

Cowgirl!

Me and my cowgirl!

Although there are plenty of toys for me to play with around here, I have really taken to the cowgirl.  She makes all sorts of neat sounds and she is really easy to hold!  I'm pretty good at holding her for a fairly long time because I'm really starting to get the grasp of holding things.

I love looking at my Daddy!

Right now I have my first cold.  I got it last week at daycare.  Even though I'm a little stuffed up, I'm still my normal self.  I have to sleep a bit more, but I won't let a cold slow me down.  There's too many things to do during the day - watch my sister, roll around in my gym, suck on my fingers, drool, the list goes on! Daddy felt my gums today to see if any of my teeth were poking through, but he didn't find anything yet!  Any day now I'll start getting teeth!

Naked Babies

Airing out my doopa!

Thank goodness the cold weather has settled in.  Maybe then there won't be so many naked babies all over this house!  I have been spending a lot of time naked, or without my diaper because I got a really bad diaper rash.  Cora runs around naked after her bath, but I'm not sure why.  There is a lot of talk about potties.  Either way, I can finally hold my head up all on my own and I am perfecting rolling.  Within seconds of putting me down on my back, I can roll over on my belly.  The other night Daddy was on the phone and I couldn't see the TV very well, so I rolled, wiggled and squirmed my way to get a better view of the TV.  Although the floor was a bit hard, it really didn't bother me.  I guess the next step for me will be sitting up.  That will be fun - I'm not so fond of sitting in a reclining position anymore or laying on the hard floor.
This past weekend we went to the zoo.  I enjoyed looking at trees, blue sky and people passing by.  The weather was especially pleasant.  Today it got cold though so I think long sleeves and cozy blankets are in order!

Preparing for Halloween - I have decided I am NOT going to be a cat.  I look silly.

1st Day of School

Monday was my first day at daycare and I can officially say I made it through my first week.  I'm already a ladies' man and I'm really good at impressing them.  All of my teachers love me and say that I'm a really good baby.  Miss Jennifer wants to take me home and Miss Elaine can't believe how I manage to get around in my crib.  I never stay in one spot - that is until I fall asleep.  Rolling is my favorite pastime these days and I am loving being on my belly and watching things around me.  I can put my knees up under me and push my butt up in the air - I'm so close to crawing!!.  I also started eating rice cereal this week.  Boy, do I like it. It doesn't taste like cardboard when Daddy mixes it with water instead of formula.  So far I am getting a handle on eating solid foods.  
Today I had my 4 month doctor's visit.  I'm still a growing boy.  I'm over 24 inches long and I weigh 13lbs 9oz.  Eating almost 30oz of formula a day is helping with that.  I've become better, well at least more efficient at eating so that makes Daddy extremely pleased.  The behaved well for my shots at the doctor, although I think I may do a lot of sleeping this weekend.  Between my shots and all of the excitement with daycare, I am EXHAUSTED!!!!  Mommy and Daddy are really happy that I still sleep a solid 9 hours through the night!!

Me in one of Daddy's outfits when he was a baby!

Me posing with my diaper cake :)

My First Beach Trip!

Nap #1 at the beach

Yesterday we went to the beach!!!  Although I wasn't able to enjoy the sand and waves like my sister, the new sounds of crashing water and smells of the beach were enough to keep me entertained.  I found it very easy to take siesta's in the tent too with the cool breeze blowing on me.  All the fresh air made me sleepy!  Maybe next time I go to the beach I will get to enjoy it even more and do things like throw sand at my sister and go swimming! 

Nap #2 at the beach

Earlier this week when Daddy came to wake me up, he discovered that I was able to roll over on my belly all by myself!  I am not bothered being on my belly so much anymore so if I end up rolling onto it, I don't scream too much.  I have also gotten used to taking my afternoon nap with Daddy on the couch.  Unfortunately he is going back to work in a week so I will only get to enjoy it on the weekends, and not everyday.  

I rolled over on my belly at the beach!